Name: The 'lungs of our city': Philly offering 1,000 free trees for residents to plant at home
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The 'lungs of our city': Philly offering 1,000 free trees for residents to plant at home

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The arrival of spring means — in addition to a much-needed respite after a long, pandemic winter — another free tree giveaway in Philadelphia.Up to 1,000 residents will be able to receive a free tree to plant on their property thanks to , a Philadelphia Parks &amp; Recreation program run in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy.TreePhilly was born out of Mayor Michael Nutter’s Office of Sustainability in 2009, with the goal of supporting Philadelphia neighborhoods in establishing a healthy canopy of trees.An April 2020 in the Lancet Journal shows that an improved tree canopy could save hundreds of Philadelphians per year from premature death.“Trees are the lungs of our city,” said Parks &amp; Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “They help keep Philadelphians healthier, and make our neighborhoods stronger and more beautiful.”The North Philly neighborhood has fewer trees and hotter days than areas that weren’t redlined. Residents, along with city government, are working on solutions.TreePhilly will host for residents whose neighborhoods need trees the most. Door-to-door delivery service is also available for residents in high-risk populations and those unable to pick up a tree in a car.This season, TreePhilly is distributing grants to 28 community partners that will operate pickup sites and help with tree delivery.Besides being a good excuse to get outdoors, planting a tree also plays a role in improving long-term public health outcomes, said Fairmount Park Conservancy Executive Director Maura McCarthy.“Trees provide essential services for city residents — they lower stress levels, improve our respiratory health, and cool our homes on hot summer days,” McCarthy said.Eyes on the StreetLitter is a racial justice issue created by systemic disinvestment. Philadelphia needs to take a systemic approach to solving it.Since 2012, TreePhilly has given away more than 25,000 trees.TreePhilly will provide residents with mulch and information about planting and caring for their tree, but residents are responsible for the actual planting.The program is open to all city residents, though residents must pre-register for an event to receive a tree, and trees must be planted in the ground, as opposed to a container or sidewalk.A citywide pickup event will take place on May 15 at FDR Park, while deliveries and neighborhood events will take place throughout the spring.The spring won’t be TreePhilly’s first foray into pandemic giveaways. In 2020, it distributed more than 1,200 trees to homeowners, while observing COVID-19 mitigation guidelines. This season’s iteration will similarly follow coronavirus protocols:Those interested can .Get daily updates from WHYY News!The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox.The park is a safe haven for the neighborhood and a rallying point that hasn’t had a major redo in over a half century.Kathryn Ott Lovell spoke with WHYY about park safety concerns at this month’s ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly remodeled 33rd and Wallace Playground.Thousands of PECO customers lose access to A/C or fans each summer when they can’t pay their electric bills. Experts want more limits on shutoffs in a warming world.Sign up for our weekly newsletter.Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal

The arrival of spring means — in addition to a much-needed respite after a long, pandemic winter — another free tree giveaway in Philadelphia.Up to 1,000 residents will be able to receive a free tree to plant on their property thanks to , a Philadelphia Parks &amp; Recreation program run in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy.TreePhilly was born out of Mayor Michael Nutter’s Office of Sustainability in 2009, with the goal of supporting Philadelphia neighborhoods in establishing a healthy canopy of trees.An April 2020 in the Lancet Journal shows that an improved tree canopy could...

The 'lungs of our city': Philly offering 1,000 free trees for residents to plant at home

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